Dozens killed as truck hits crowd in Nice, France

A vehicle reportedly loaded with weapons and grenades has crashed into a crowd in Nice, France during Bastille Day celebrations killing at least 70 people.

The Mayor of Nice had said “dozens” had been killed but the BBC is currently reporting approximately 70 people have been killed and at least 100 injured.

The president of the Nice region, Christian Estrosi, told a press conference: "This is the worst catastrophe our region has seen in modern history. We now have to mobilise all of our services, all the psychologists, volunteers who are trained to help fellow human beings.

"We will work with the imams, priests and rabbis who will also join us to help the victims and families who are suffering and will probably never heal their wounds ... I want to thank people who welcomed passersby and those people who show us tonight that hopefully, solidarity still exists in a world that is too egoistical and individualistic."

He added that a “high figure of the police forces” had been killed during the attack, which ISIS has claimed responsibility for, according to some local media reports.

One witness, Roy Calley, told the BBC that there were "thousands of people on the promenade" when the incident happened.

Prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said the lorry struck the victims as they were celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city. Witnesses said the driver was purposefully aiming the vehicle at the crowd and “zigzagging” so that he could hit as many people as possible. It was reported that the attack lasted for two kilometres before the truck was stopped.

Some reports said shots were fired by police and the driver of the lorry but these have not been confirmed. However Estrosi says the truck in Nice was loaded with weapons and grenades.

Estrosi told BFM TV the truck had been driven by someone who appeared to have “completely premeditated behaviour”.

He added that “the truck was loaded with arms, loaded with grenades”.

Bastille Day, the most important holiday in France and the equivalent to the 4th of July in the US, marks the day a mob stormed a fortress known for holding political prisoners on July 14, 1789.